Audi A3 1.9TDI Sportback

col68

I am totally unsure of what to do, a 2007 Audi A3 with 99,000mls or a 2005 Audi A3 with 41,000mls, both asking similiar prices....love the A3 and this is like a dream come true but...just wondering which would have better re-sale value, plus the 2007 is from a garage and the 2005 is private. I have done the motorcheck.ie on the 2005 and all seems well, any advice???

Alanstrainor

What price are they?

col68

€10,000 APPROX

squod

Isn't that a little expensive for a six year old A3?

col68

Dunno, I thought it was an ok price, always thought audi's were ridiculously dear but this seems like a great deal, just dont know what to pick...the year or the mileage?????

ralphie

Is the the 2007 a 1.9 or a 2.0

col68

1.9, both are exactly same car except for year and mileage

ralphie

Reason I asked is that some of the 2.0TDI engines gave trouble.The 1.9 is bullet proof.
If you are sure about the 2005 mileage I would go for it.If you keep the car for a few years the age will make little difference.
45k sounds very little for a six year old diesel.

Divorce Referendum

ralphie wrote: »

Reason I asked is that some of the 2.0TDI engines gave trouble.The 1.9 is bullet proof.
If you are sure about the 2005 mileage I would go for it.If you keep the car for a few years the age will make little difference.
45k sounds very little for a six year old diesel.

ya absoloutely. Make sure the mileage is genuine op. Do your history checks.

bazz26

I wouldn't pay €10k for a 6 year old A3 that probably doesn't even have air con or alloy wheels. €10k will get you alot of car these days, the A3 is poor value in that respect. I would also want to see some hard evidence that a 6 year old diesel car has only covered 41k miles. A full service history should accompany it and ring the garages that stamped it to confirm the service/mileage intervals. If the seller tells you the service history is lost or doesn't exist then assume the worst and walk away.

Personally myself I think you can spend your €10k on something of better value than an A3 but if your heart is set on it then make sure to do the above.

col68

Thanks for your replies, you would think €10,000 would buy something half decent until you go to buy, walked round dozens of garages yesterday with cash in hand, straight deal, no trade in and theres nothing....everything is 11,500 or 12, which is typical, thought there were bargains out there,......I've already done the motorcheck.ie check on the car and mileage seems to be genuine, will test drive on sat and will take your advice about the fsh. Thanks again

Einstein

10k is that evg price on carzone tbh.

I've a 04 1.9tdi with 101k miles on the clock...cruise control, climate contraol, 6 cd changer and its valued at about 7.5-8k

Just make sure you get A3 witht he best spec. 99k miles wouldnt really put me off the car once it had fsh. Its good for another 100k if you take care of it!

J77

Was in the same position little over a year ago. I also found that 10k is not alot. Pretty disappointing realisation!

If you're gonna go for a 2005 you may as well get an A4.

Something like this
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/A4/1.9TDI-S/201040199773745/advert?channel=CARS

or a 2006
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/A4/1.9-TDI-/201003196655429/advert?channel=CARS

If this is genuine and you're good at bargaining then try this
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/A4/1.9-TDI-/201107201247985/advert?channel=CARS

But If you're open to getting a petrol then you could get a 2006 1.6 no problem.

colm_mcm

If you buy into the front wheel drive diesel Audi thing then 10 grand won't go far.
drive a few rivals and compare and don't just assume that just because they're expensive they're great.
I've driven quite a few of them and have never been blown away, the only ones I ever got attached to were a tt quattro and an a4 multitronic 130 tdi.

J77

colm_mcm wrote: »

If you buy into the front wheel drive diesel Audi thing then 10 grand won't go far.
drive a few rivals and compare and don't just assume that just because they're expensive they're great.
I've driven quite a few of them and have never been blown away, the only ones I ever got attached to were a tt quattro and an a4 multitronic 130 tdi.

Wouldn't say I was blown away but I do really like them, I think they're quite nice to drive.

In terms of rivals, 10 grand will probably get you further in with audi than with bmw or merc.

colm_mcm

I just don't see an a4 tdi as a 3 series rival in the same way as an s40 isn't.
something that shares most of its bits with a bread and butter smallfamily car isn't really worth much of a premium unless it makes up for it in other areas.
Audis have some nice simple styling and interiors are above average. that's as far as it goes for me.
an a3 isn't hugely better than a golf, an s40 isn't demonstrably better than a focus, so apart from a slightly nicer interior - where's the appeal?
I'd buy a 3 series on the basis that it drives well, the novelty of rwd, the fact that its not sharing its basis with a dozen cheaper cars and a few other subjective reasons.

paying big money for overvalued Audis (which have so much in common with seat, vw and skoda ) baffles me unless its a high spec proper model.

col68

Thank you all for your help, I will be test driving on Saturday and will let you know how I get on, I never thought I could afford an Audi, dream car, so Saturday will tell a lot more......I'll be back:D

squod

col68 wrote: »

Thank you all for your help, I will be test driving on Saturday and will let you know how I get on, I never thought I could afford an Audi, dream car, so Saturday will tell a lot more......I'll be back:D

Test drive a focus, if it doesn't feel about a million percent better there's something wrong with you.

colm_mcm

Please drive a few other rival models before you drive the a3 just so you can compare.

col68

I have test driven the focus and it is a good, sturdy car but its a ford!!! I have already had a fiesta, escort (good few years ago...) and an orion....don't won't to go there again but who knows what will happen tomorrow....

unkel

colm_mcm wrote: »

I just don't see an a4 tdi as a 3 series rival in the same way as an s40 isn't.
something that shares most of its bits with a bread and butter smallfamily car isn't really worth much of a premium unless it makes up for it in other areas.
Audis have some nice simple styling and interiors are above average. that's as far as it goes for me.
an a3 isn't hugely better than a golf, an s40 isn't demonstrably better than a focus, so apart from a slightly nicer interior - where's the appeal?
I'd buy a 3 series on the basis that it drives well, the novelty of rwd, the fact that its not sharing its basis with a dozen cheaper cars and a few other subjective reasons.

paying big money for overvalued Audis (which have so much in common with seat, vw and skoda ) baffles me unless its a high spec proper model.

32 hours after this post and no one has appreciated it enough to thank it? I feel colm_mcm is spot on there.

dr.fuzzenstein

col68 wrote: »

I have test driven the focus and it is a good, sturdy car but its a ford!!! I have already had a fiesta, escort (good few years ago...) and an orion....don't won't to go there again but who knows what will happen tomorrow....

Since about 99 when the Focus came along Fords have changed and improved hugely.
The Escort and Orion where desperate auld yokes, there is simply no comparison to the newer Focuses, I hugely like the new Fiestas, just compare them to the old ones, not in the same league.
I had an old Escort, it was the worst car I've ever driven in my life, now have a Cmax and you can't even compare them, apart from the manufacturer's name they are worlds apart.
Anyways, just wanted to jump in there in defence of current Fords.;)
If you want the Audi, go for it, sometimes you can't settle and you just have to get what you want.
You may think some other car is nice too, but if you buy it, you might hate yourself forever for not going with the Audi.

col68

Back again!!! so fed up... saturday started out with phone call to say the 2007 audi A3 was sold.....just had to accept that it wasn't meant for me which made me re-think the whole situation, in an ideal world I would have an audi but realistically I can't justify the prices yet!!! so test drove peugot 407, lovely car but not well looked after, also took 08 mondeo 1.8tdi for drive, huge car ..could fit whole family in car but not in good tax bracket, so on Monday will test drive 08 ford focus (can't believe I'm doing this!!) 1.8tdci, with 60,000 miles, again not in lower tax bracket but still only 333 euro to tax so not the worst case scenario, any advice......it is great having people to bounce these questions off and all help is very much appreciated, oh price for 08 focus 1.8tdci approx 11,000 euro

whiterebel

unkel wrote: »

32 hours after this post and no one has appreciated it enough to thank it? I feel colm_mcm is spot on there.

Maybe nobody agrees with him.

bazz26

col68 wrote: »

Back again!!! so fed up... saturday started out with phone call to say the 2007 audi A3 was sold.....just had to accept that it wasn't meant for me which made me re-think the whole situation, in an ideal world I would have an audi but realistically I can't justify the prices yet!!! so test drove peugot 407, lovely car but not well looked after, also took 08 mondeo 1.8tdi for drive, huge car ..could fit whole family in car but not in good tax bracket, so on Monday will test drive 08 ford focus (can't believe I'm doing this!!) 1.8tdci, with 60,000 miles, again not in lower tax bracket but still only 333 euro to tax so not the worst case scenario, any advice......it is great having people to bounce these questions off and all help is very much appreciated, oh price for 08 focus 1.8tdci approx 11,000 euro

To be honest discarding cars off because they don't cost €104/156 to tax per year is madness and typical now of the mindset amongst most Irish motorist. Motor tax is a very small part of the running costs of a car, I would not rule cars out because they cost a little more to tax.

BTW I would go for the 1.6 TDCi Focus over the 1.8 TDCi. Simply because the 1.6 TDCi is a more modern engine and delivers it's power alot more linear than the 1.8 TDCi. Same with the Mondeo I'd rather go with the 2.0 TDCi over the 1.8 TDCi. 08 Mondeo 2.0 TDCi costs a whopping €447 to tax over €302 for the dog 1.8 TDCi.

-Corkie-

bazz26 wrote: »

To be honest discarding cars off because they don't cost €104/156 to tax per year is madness and typical now of the mindset amongst most Irish motorist. Motor tax is a very small part of the running costs of a car, I would not rule cars out because they cost a little more to tax.

BTW I would go for the 1.6 TDCi Focus over the 1.8 TDCi. Simply because the 1.6 TDCi is a more modern engine and delivers it's power alot more linear than the 1.8 TDCi. Same with the Mondeo I'd rather go with the 2.0 TDCi over the 1.8 TDCi. 08 Mondeo 2.0 TDCi costs a whopping €447 to tax over €302 for the dog 1.8 TDCi.

I agree with ya but I was surprised to the OP was slow to test a Ford and then drive a 407 and say it was nice.....

col68

Difference between 1.8tdci and 1.6tdci is approx €3,000, with the 1.6 being dearer, can that be justified???, also I know I change my mind like the wind, i have already test driven a 06 focus 1.6tdi and agree, its a great sturdy car however that was €9,000 and I couldn't justify that and still be a year above what I currently have.....I think country has gone mad with car prices oh and by the way the garages were booming yesterday, they reckon they have never been so busy...I'm literally on the verge of giving up however I have a sister waiting on me making my mind up.....

colm_mcm

What's your budget?

squod

There's a shed load of decent cars out there for €9,000 or less. Be aware the focus diesel has different outputs TDDi 90/115 and TDCi 90/110. Be sure to ask when you buy.

col68

Budget is €10,000, and you think there are loads of cars available until you go looking, the only other car that interested me was a 2007 peugeot 407 1.6hdi saloon??????....and its a 115 tdci

colm_mcm

http://autotrader.mobi/used-cars/advert/201107379973236/viewing-1?PHPSESSID=rpjq73r4jmnfo5mte02se1dv00

08 focus 1.6 tdci style with aircon
£5395 = £6403
VRT = €1502
Travel = €300

Total 8200. Add for hpi check and aa inspection, allow for tiny discount if any

col68

Thanks a million Colm mcm for link, looks like a bargain however won't buy privately, as is somewhat obvious I'm not an authority on cars so will always buy from a garage for the warranty

col68

OMG I bought a car...at long last...will have to wait until kids finish college to get the audi I want but I ended up going in to buy a ford focus 1.8tdi and ended up buying an 08 puegeot 308 1.6hdi!!! for my budget €10,000, 43,000miles and in great condition, thank God cause I was sick of looking so that should be me for the next few years, again thanks a million for all the help:D

squod

Good luck with it. Great looking cars.